Hearing loss is occurring at greater rates than in the past. An estimated 30 million Americans are thought to be exposed to hazardous levels of sound at work. An even greater number of people are exposed to excessive noise levels in non-work environments. The exposure to excessive noise causes permanent damage to nerve cells within the ear. The person exposed to the damaging noise is not aware of the damage sustained. Damaging noise levels are not sensed in the ear as pain until extremely high noise levels are reached. Most people are not cognizant of noise levels that cause permanent hearing loss. It is often too late to remedy the hearing loss. The damage to the ear is often a cumulative process, occurring as a result of exposure to excessive sound levels over years and decades. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, regular exposure to sound levels above 85 decibels (roughly the level of sound emitted from a hair dryer, vacuum cleaner, or gasoline powered lawn mower) can begin to damage hearing. The hair cells of the ear that are damaged secondary to the exposure do not regenerate or heal. Thus the hearing loss incurred is permanent. The best medicine to reduce the risk of hearing loss is prevention.
The prior art has many devices that muffle and block unwanted noise from the ear. The devices that produce the high level sound are also equipped with mufflers and means for diverting or reducing sound levels. However, the prior art does not provide a means of warning people of the level of sound ambient to the people.
What is needed in the art is an apparatus that detects sound and warns individuals of the level of sound to protect hearing.